| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| swifty |
Posted - 10 Nov 2012 : 11:08:52
is there a realms like sci fi alternative out there.not star wars though. |
| 16 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 12 Nov 2012 : 04:24:30
quote:
Originally posted by Alystra Illianniis
Wow, how can you guys NOT mention Spelljammer? It's not only 'Realms-like" (heck some of it is in Realmspace!) but it fuses sci-fi and fantasy quite well.
I'm a huge Spelljammer fan -- my name should indicate that, since it's kind of an obscure Spelljammer reference. Spelljammer was my first love among D&D settings, long before Volo made me fall in love with Waterdeep.
Dragonstar was an interesting blend of sci-fi and fantasy. It's another D20 setting. The soulmechs of that setting were part of the inspiration used in my Realmsified warforged articles, found in this thread. And one of those three varieties also draws from Spelljammer material.  |
| The Sage |
Posted - 12 Nov 2012 : 00:59:14
quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
quote:
Originally posted by vorpalanvil
I rescind my previous statement. "Firefly", though I have never played it, might be the way to go. As a fan of the show and less so of the movie, it's a big world with a lot going on, like the realms. Not a fan of d20, which is the main reason I never played the paper and dice game. But many of you on here are pathgrinder fans so I leave it to you.
Wait, there's "firefly" material out somewhere detailing worlds and such?
Yes, though not many books were released. Margaret Weis Productions produced the Serenity RPG in 2005, with the 'Cortex' rules-set. You can purchase them as PDFs via links from her website, on through DriveThruRPG.
Aside from the main rulebook, you can also find Out in the Black, which was the setting's first adventure module, Serenity Adventures, which served as a compilation of other short adventures, Six Shooters and Spaceships, a tome detailing various ships and technology from the universe, and, finally, Big Damn Heroes Handbook, a rules expansion which featured various new elements to introduce into the setting. |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 12 Nov 2012 : 00:41:58
quote:
Originally posted by vorpalanvil
I rescind my previous statement. "Firefly", though I have never played it, might be the way to go. As a fan of the show and less so of the movie, it's a big world with a lot going on, like the realms. Not a fan of d20, which is the main reason I never played the paper and dice game. But many of you on here are pathgrinder fans so I leave it to you.
Wait, there's "firefly" material out somewhere detailing worlds and such? |
| Alystra Illianniis |
Posted - 11 Nov 2012 : 20:08:47
Wow, how can you guys NOT mention Spelljammer? It's not only 'Realms-like" (heck some of it is in Realmspace!) but it fuses sci-fi and fantasy quite well.
Also, I'm appalled that so many dislike Star Wars. True, some of it is a bit "tropy" now, but it is one shared universe that has lasted a long time, AND has had MANY good writers working in it- Salvatore, Timothy Zahn, Kemp, among others. You just have to know which books to read, and which to avoid.
MT, thanks for mentioning Pern. It's a GREAT sfi-fi series, well-thought-out, epic, multi-generational story, great characters (RIP, Master Robinton.) and a very logical premise. I have loved it since I discovered it as a child(over a quarter-century ago- and I think I just dated myself...).
Piers Anthony has a dual-world setting that encompases both fantasy and sci-fi in the Phaze/Proton books, and another which is multi-world, the Mode series, which is pure sci-fi that reads very much like fantasy. There is also an alternate-Earth series by him that deals with both, which is the Incarnations series. It's really good if you don't mind a bit of religious overtones and philosophical content. He is one author who is great at both. So is Robert Aspirin, with his Myth Adventure books and Fhule series. Both series are set in their own universes, and the Myth books encompass a multiverse of worlds that use both magic AND tech to varying degrees. (Some worlds have one, some have the other, a few can use both) |
| Markustay |
Posted - 11 Nov 2012 : 19:36:37
I preferred FGU's Space Opera, but I worked for FGU back then, so that sorta figures.
Great but complicated game (as were all FGU RPGs) - you could run any sort of campaign, from Star Wars to Star Trek to Firefly to Farscape to really exotic stuff like magic and psionics in space. It had rules for EVERYTHING.
Like I said, the only non-game associated IP I can come up with is Larry Niven's Known Space, in which many authors write Man-Kzinn war stories. Star Wars really is the only thing that even comes close to FR with its Shared world.
Here's the problem as I see it - the truly great settings are NOT shared. "Too many Chefs" and all of that. Good Scify needs focus, with one person steering the ship. Very rarely can an IP survive for long with a dozen or more authors all picking away at the scabs. It also tends to lead to an 'arms race' type of scenario escalation (think RSE's), as authors try to out-WOW the audience.
SW had Lucas, ST had Rodenberry, and we have Ed. Most IPs don't have that sort of determination to keep continuity straight. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 11 Nov 2012 : 01:50:45
I've had a lot of success with GURPS Traveller, which posits an alternate universe to counter the often negatively accepted developments of the original Traveller time-line.
Another, though more older setting, is Star Frontiers. A great deal of fun, but it's been out of print for a significantly long time.
And, also, TSR's Star*Drive. It's a wonderful setting that was published in support of the 'Alternity' rules set. Plus, it's got supporting content authored by some of the big names in the sci-fi design and development of RPGs, as well as contributing material from another designer who we all might be familiar with... in the form of Steven Schend. |
| Dennis |
Posted - 10 Nov 2012 : 20:51:23
Anyting by L.E. Modesitt, Jr. He usually meshes sci-fi and fantasy, though with more emphasis on the latter. |
| Quale |
Posted - 10 Nov 2012 : 19:29:25
I don't know any like the Realms
Cthulhu Mythos is shared
The Dying Earth has an anthology written by GRRM, Gaiman, Dowling, Simmons, Cook etc.
Wild Cards by GRRM and others, tough it's poor |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 10 Nov 2012 : 16:47:04
quote:
Originally posted by swifty
is there a realms like sci fi alternative out there.not star wars though.
Depends on what you're looking for. BattleTech is sci-fi and shared world. It doesn't have any aliens, though (except for two books, at least one of which has basically been silently showed out of canon). The BattleTech universe is humans engaging in warfare against other humans, with everyone using giant stompy robots.
Other than Star Wars or Star Trek, it's the only sci-fi shared setting I'm personally familiar with. I've read maybe a dozen Star Wars novels, and found them quite enjoyable. Star Trek I've not bothered with; it's not appealing enough for me to even watch it on TV. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 10 Nov 2012 : 14:20:34
There are lots of good Scify series, but I don't think you wil find anything like FR because nearly all scify series takes place on multiple worlds, which means less detail on each. The Dune series being a major exception, of course (and well worth reading).
The Majipoor novels read like fantasy but are Scify - you may want that. Its also about a single world, and also quite good.
I could recommend anything by either Larry Niven or Isaac Asimov - both authors write about lots of Scify topics and worlds, but all novels take place within the same universe, and both authors have become so popular that other authors also write within their universes (with permission, of course). Isaac Asimov is more of a deep thinker, but Niven's novels are just plain fun (like comparing Tolkien to RAS). If you like Drizzt-like action, read any of the Man-Kzinn war novels - good stuff.
A lot of my gaming is based on the Well World novels, which is also scify that reads like fantasy. If you like logical explanations for fantasy creatures and magic, thats the way to go. There are also the Riverworld novels - both series are amazing (although with only two 'exceptions' IIRC, everyone is human in Riverworld).
I feel your pain with SW; as a Star Trek fan I like good Scify, and SW is pretty craptastic. I can't honestly recommend ST fiction though - the two novels I read were pretty bad.
EBIT: The Pern novels are also technically Scify, but those REALLY read like fantasy, so it may not be what you are looking for (very few Scify elements). However, it is a single, detailed world, and if you like dragons then go for it.
EDIT2 so aside from Star Trek (and WH), the only other 'shared world' universes would be the ones created by Niven and Asimov, and they aren't precisely 'shared worlds' in the normal sense. Other authors did not start writing in Asimov's galaxy until after his death (because his heirs wanted to make more money and milk the brand), and Niven normally co-authors the novels in his universe (with the exception of the Man-Kzinn wars novels, which are action-based and have little to do with Niven other then borrowing his concepts). |
| Thauranil |
Posted - 10 Nov 2012 : 12:53:22
In response to your original query, you could try out Warhammer 40k, if you like violence and heroics and horrific monsters. |
| Thauranil |
Posted - 10 Nov 2012 : 12:51:55
Thats harsh. There are a lot of good novels by highly skilled authors in the Star Wars universe , including many authors from FR I might add. Dont judge the books based on the movies.
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| vorpalanvil |
Posted - 10 Nov 2012 : 12:33:44
I'm with you. Star wars blows. check this out http://redlettermedia.com/plinkett/star-wars/star-wars-episode-1-the-phantom-menace/ |
| swifty |
Posted - 10 Nov 2012 : 12:14:09
im not a gamer just a reader.it would just be nice if there was an alternative to the star wars universe though. |
| vorpalanvil |
Posted - 10 Nov 2012 : 11:47:54
I rescind my previous statement. "Firefly", though I have never played it, might be the way to go. As a fan of the show and less so of the movie, it's a big world with a lot going on, like the realms. Not a fan of d20, which is the main reason I never played the paper and dice game. But many of you on here are pathgrinder fans so I leave it to you. |
| vorpalanvil |
Posted - 10 Nov 2012 : 11:41:24
I'm more of a sci fi guy than a fantasy guy and I really can't think of an alternative for you. Also, the "Realms" means lots of things to lots of people. Is there a specific region or culture that you are trying to find a campaign for? |
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